Chapter 29

Operation Sunshine

PHOENIX SQUADRON

Liberty, Medical Bay

After a rough few days of recovery in a bacta tank, Hera was up and walking around in her flight suit and head gear, she was on the bridge speaking with Sato as Ezra and Ahkilleon came in, as Sato and Hera were already finishing their conversation.

"It is risky, but I approve." Commander Sato.

Hera nodded "I know they're up for it."

"Hera you wanted to see us?" Ezra asked.

She turned to them, "Yes Ezra, Commander Sato has given us a top secret mission, get everyone together on the Ghost and I'll explain on the way."

"Top secret." Ezra said smiling with excitement, even Sato was smiling which Ahkilleon found weird. "We're on it, come on." he said, patting Ahkilleon on the shoulder.

The two boys hurried out of the bridge, "Alright who gets who?" Ahkilleon asked.

"We get our own teachers, then I'll get Zeb?" Ezra offered.

"I can…. Get Sabine?" Ahkilleon asked, avoiding the other boy's gaze, "Dibs on not chopper." Both of them said at the same time. Groaning at the same time they looked at one another before Ahkilleon had an idea.

"Lizard, Toad, Snake?" he asked Ezra.

Who cocked his head to the side "You alright?"

"No, no, it's a game, Ezra." Ahkilleon held up his hand making different signs "Lizard" Ahkilleon turned his hand forward fingers pointed out and pressed together like a lizard's head "Toad" he balled his hand into a fist to resemble a toad "Snake." then made his hand flat like a serpent slithering on the ground. "A player who decided to play lizard would beat another player who had chosen snake but would lose to one who played toad, while a play of toad would lose to a play of snake."

Ezra gave a loud "ooooh so Rock paper scissors."

Ahkilleon gave him a puzzled look "Why would… who thinks rock, that's so lame no, Lizard, Toad Snake, ready?"

The three of them held up closed fists and "Lizard-Rock-Snake" Ahkilleon said before they flung their hands out Ezra went with Lizard and Ahkilleon went with the toad, thus beating Ezra "Ugh fine I'll get Chopper."

Later Ahkilleon was walking down the corridors alone following the smell of wet paint, one thing he knew about these corvette ships was their interiors were almost all white walls. And for someone like Sabine that was just begging to be painted, he rounded a few corners and went down a level till he found Sabine on one of the lower decks spray painting a rainbow of different A-wings flying together in a flock of fantastic color. "Not bad, but it's missing something." Ahkilleon said, waking up behind her.

"You think so?" she asked.

"Yeah, where's the Ghost?" He asked.

She cocked her head and put her hand on her hip. "I'm saving that mural for a special occasion." she said, flipping her paint gun in her hand.

"Hey, just as long as I'm in it." Ahkilleon said to her.

"Hmmm if you behave, did you want something?" She asked.

"Hera has a mission for us, top secret, said she wouldn't tell us more until we were aboard the Ghost." he relayed.

Sabine looked intrigued "Top secret? Okay I'll meet you there I'm almost done." She said, before he walked off.

"Roger that." Ahkilleon said, heading off to find his mother. To his astonishment he reunited with Ezra who had found Zeb and Chopper were waiting outside one of the cargo rooms, it was one the larger spaces in the ships and the perfect place for a real sparring match between true swordsmen, like their own teachers. Kanan and Ahsoka were dueling, and they were doing it fast, faster than either Ezra or Ahkilleon had seen it done before. The two of them were fighting with an intensity and precession only learned after years of training under Jedi masters and having a lightsaber in hand for decades. Kanan was favoring form III, Soresu and Ahsoka was matching his defense with her Form V, but a variant called Djem So. Even with two lightsabers attacking him Kanan was holding his own flipping and dodging between the blades before he countered and went on the offensive. Ahsoka back stopped spinning and blocking the barrage of slashes and strikes from her opponent before they came to a halt.

The two of them locked eyes but said nothing, then they sheathed their blades and bowed "Whoa." Ezra gasped.

"You can say that again." Zeb said.

"Guess the Old Jedi were really something." Ezra said as the two teachers rose up.

Kanan smirked, "Thanks again for helping me practice."

"Practice does make progress, I think you'd give General Grievous a run for his money." She said,

Ezra and Ahkilleon both walked up "Who?" Ezra asked.

"Trust me, you don't want to know." Kanan said to him.

"Hera has a top secret mission for us." Ahkilleon told them.

Ahsoka looked surprised. "Really, after- very well, what is it?"

"She didn't say, she'd tell us all about the Ghost."

It wasn't long before the Spectres and Ahsoka were all aboard the modified freighter, it broke off from the Liberty and began to pull away from the fleet. Everyone had met up in the cockpit armed and ready for whatever the mission was. Hera walked in stone faced hands behind her back as if she were an admiral in a mighty fleet about to give an address. "All of you have proved yourself time and time again, but I need to know you're ready for this." she said all business. Her tone made Kanan's face match her own, Zeb smiled with enthusiasm as he rubbed his fists with anticipation for action. Hera scanned their faces "The Empire will never stop trying to take everything from us, which is why Sato trusts us and only us for the success of this mission." she said looking at Sabine and Ezra both of them nodded at her. "The Ghost is more than just a single freighter to the fleet, we represent something to Phoenix Squadron, so we need to be at the top of our game which is why I volunteered us for the most secret mission our squadron has ever undertaken." Ahkilleon exchanged an excited look with Ezra all while Ahsoka leaned in the doorway rolling her eyes with a smile.

"Are-you-ready?" she asked her crew.

The whole bridge lit up with a yell of affirmation and Hera smiled "Strap in." she said everyone getting in their seats as she sat down, "Because the Ghost is going on Vacation!" she said, slamming the hyperspace controls and sending them off into the galaxy to the chorus of a five astonished "WHAT?"

Back aboard the captains quarters of the Liberty, Commander Sato watched them go and then received a message on his holomonitor taking it he turned to see Bail Organa, "Senator Organa, sir." Sato said seeing him.

"I take it everything is underway?" he asked.

"Yes the Ghost just departed for their… retreat?" he said, putting it delicately.

Organa gave a crooked smile "These are trying times, I appreciate your understanding in this matter, the Ghost has been a true asset to the rebellion this is the least we could do."

"It will be nice to have some peace and quiet in the fleet for a change." Sato replied, as he sat down in his armchair, "Then I will leave you to it." Senator Organa said cutting the transmission.

GHOST

Hyperspace

"You're joking she's joking, hehehe, has to be joking right Kanan?" Zeb asked from the back of the cockpit the breaking news to the crew and all of them were taking it in different ways. Zeb of course was trying to figure out if she was joking or not like Kanan who was looking at her dumbfounded and slack jawed at the news "Kanan?" Zeb asked.

Hera rolled her eyes ``Yes, we are taking a vacation, Senator Organa has offered his private villa on Telerath for us to use." she said.

"But won't the Empire know something is up when one of their Senators private villas is being used by a group of wanted rebels?" Sabine asked.

"It's very-very private." Hera said over her shoulder.

Ezra chuckled then let out a laugh or more of a holler of excitement, "Alright, a vacation just what the doctor ordered." Ezra said hands in the air fists closed.

"Is this for real?" Ahkilleon asked his mom, she was just smirking, "I think Hera's right, a little rest and relaxation will be good for us." She said,

"You're coming to?" Kanan asked her.

"I am here after all, and I haven't been to Telerath since I was a kid." Ahsoka said hands on hips.

With all anxiety it was a lie vanishing, Zebs eyes watered up and the Lasat burst into tears of joy "Bwahahaha Hera thank you… thank you so-so-so much." He wept as he fell to his knees hugging her while she was in her pilot chair.

TELERATH

Telerath was an Inner Rim banking world, the home of the Telerath Interstellar Banking Initiative. It was created as an experiment in face-to-face customer service by an interstellar bank. Customers were guaranteed to meet with living bank representatives, did not need to make scheduled appointments, and were offered a fantastic variety of comforting recreational activities and accommodations. Telegraph was a bank and a vacation resort where every night was like a festival. Security was only present to protect the money, not the people. They thought that visible guards would break the ambiance.

The Ghost descended down on the surface of Telerath from above Ezra and Ahkilleon had their faces glued to the windows. The surface of the planet was a mix of blue ocean waters and lush green archipelagos with white sandy beaches. Many of them connected by golden colored bridges which led into small towns or large hotels on the islands. The Ghost descended down from the blue skies to see people in the water on boats, airships, skiing or swimming. The list of things they saw people doing was endless. Ezra pointed down at a beach full of people praying to a live concert then over a small island that had a race track on it with swoop bikes.

They left that behind flying to a small island with only a single structure on it, an estate with sandy beige walls, a large mansion villa in the center with a bridge leading to the main islands. "I can't believe I haven't seen an imperial ship in sight?" Kanan said.

"That's because Teleraths government is a bank, rumor is they worked out some deal with the Empire for them alone, for now." Hera said.

"What she means is bribery." Ahsoka said as the Ghost set down outside the villa.

Ezra and Ahkilleon pushed over one another running out and into the yard, it was trimmed grass with cobbled stone steps leading up into a large doorway that wooshed open when they came into a large grand entrance that was so big it looked like it could fit the Ghost. There was a chandelier made entirely of seashells with glossy beige marble steps leading up into the upper levels. The living room in front of them had coughs and cushions like boulders on a beach. The walls were adorned with art and old nautical decorations there was an image of Senator Bail Organa, standing with Princess Leia and a woman beside them with dark brown hair wearing a blue dress her hair mostly covered by a veil around her head adorned in minimal jewelry, Ezra stopped "Hey, Princess?" he called Ahkilleon who had flung himself on the nearest giant pillow "Hmph?" he asked, raising his head.

"Who's she?" Ezra pointed to the other woman.

"Aunt Breha?" he asked.

"Aunt?" Ezra asked "Ooooh, that's Leia's mother?" Ezra said looking up at her, his eyes bounced from Leia's face to Breha's face back and forth back and forth, except for hair and makeup the two didn't look much alike "Eh I don't see it."

Everyone else walked in. "Our rooms are upstairs, with our names on them, boys to the left, girls to the right." Hera said as she took off her gloves.

"Wait, we all get our own room?" Ezra asked as Zeb walked in and held his hands up "There is force, and I thank it." He muttered finally free of the two teen terrors.

Later, Ezra and Ahkilleon came out of their bunk wearing different clothes then they usually wear, also without their weapons walking out the two of them had on a pair of opened toed footwear, swimsuits and light shirts. Ezra wore flip flops with a pair of orange swim trunks that had a blue shark on the side, he wore an open floral shirt with no collar and had grabbed a pair of shades. Ahkilleon was wearing a brown sleeveless zip up hoodie along with a pair of dark black swim trunks that went past his knees with a pair of brown sandals. "Really, sandals?" Ezra asked him.

Ahkilleon looked at his brother's own shoes, "Thongs?" he asked.

They headed down to the living room to see Chopper had even found something to wear, a big straw hat wrapped around it's metal dome, the droid was looking at himself in the mirror making Ezra laugh "You uh hehe look great Chopper."

"Be nice, Choppers earned this vacation just as much as you guys." Hera said coming down from the ladies side, she was wearing a long white sundress with a shorn in pattern of holes that showed flecks of her green skin with the strings tied up around her neck showing off her exposed green back, but they could see a yellow string of something poking out around the back and tied together. She'd even swapped out her pilot headgear with a yellow swim cap with holes for her lekku to come out of. She wore a pair of flip flops like Ezra.

Ahsoka came down soon after, she wore a light brown short sleeved linen robe around her shoulders, that was so thin you could see through it, with a pair of sandals on her feet, she wore a dark blue one piece swimsuit, monokini style that had golden accents to it. It hugged her frame without all her gear on Ezra noticed her muscles underneath and the lean figure she had making his cheeks grow warm. Ahkilleon saw him gawking and scrunched up his face in disgust before Ahkilleon shook out of such indecent thoughts.

Ezra smirked "Wow, weird not seeing you in a flight suit for a change Hera."

"I'll say." Kanan said coming down, he and Ezra seemed to be sharing the style of an open floral shirt with swim trunks, Kanan had opted to wear his usual color scheme a pair of green surf trunks that fit snugly on his muscular legs, his open blue floral shirt showed an impressive physique a lean chest with carved abs the sleeves hugging onto his arms. Hera looked him up and down "I'll say but maybe lose the pony tail?" she asked pointing to it "We are incognito."

"Fine." Kanan said, pulling it out and his brown hair flowing out in a lush flow of brown hair.

As if on cue then Sabine came out "So what are we all doing a fashion show?" Sabine asked coming out, she was wearing a one piece swimsuit with a sash wrap around her waist, covering her thighs and lower part of the swimsuit, it was was nearly jet black except it had a gray stripe running down the mid center of it with a zipper in front, in addition Sabine had added a purple belt around, she was wearing an orange long sleeved that covered her upper body it "Y-yeah sh-show." Ahkilleon muttered under his breath cheeks red as a siths lightsaber.

They then heard Zeb coming down the stairs bounding off wearing the most ludicrous thing they'd ever seen him in, Zeb was wearing a dark blue suit with the sleeves rolled up past his elbows, with a pale cream shirt underneath, with a pair of circle sunglasses. "Are we ready?" he asked.

Everyone looked starstruck at Zeb looking… Cool?

"BAHAHAHAHA!" Ezra burst out laughing but Zeb didn't even react, "Be nice." Hera said scoldingly before Zeb growled at the boy, "I'm heading out."

"Hold on- hold on, no weapons." She said seeing Zeb holding his Bo-rifle under his arm.

Everyone looked at her like she was dumb "But-" "No, leave it." She snapped, Zeb put his borfile down as she turned to Ahsoka, Kanan, Ezra, and Ahkilleon "Lightsabers." Hera walked over to a large bowl and picked it up walking toward them, they turned them into her "This is our chance to relax and unwind, that means no violence"

She then turned to Sabine who at first glance in the one piece swimsuit, sash covering her waist and thighs couldn't possible be hiding a weapon, she then reached behind her back and then down pulling out her two pistols. Both Ezra and Ahkilleon cocked their heads to the left "Where was she…?" Ezra asked "Keeping those?" Ahkilleon finished with no inkling.

"Hera, leaving my armor behind here is one thing but taking our weapons, this place can't be that safe?" Sabine asked.

"Yeah well, whatever I'm hitting the nearest Casion." Zeb said walking off.

"What without us?" Ezra asked after he calmed down.

Zeb turned his head over his shoulder "It's my vacation, and I'm spending it how I want." Zeb said as he walked out of the room.

Ezra paused for a moment, "He has a point, what should we do?" Kanan asked not sure how to act after literally letting his hair down.

"I… don't know, I can't remember the last time I relaxed." Ahsoka blinked a few times.

"I say we hit the town, and see what's up." Hera said as she grabbed Kanan by his hand and led him deeper into the villa. Everyone followed and walked into a large speeder house.

Ezra gasped "Whoa." There were dozens of speeders ranging from eight seaters to speeder bikes, they came in all shapes and colors and Ezra's eyes widened at a bright red one with a long spear like front for aerodynamics "I call the red one." Ezra ran for it but saw Zeb hop on it 'Nah-ah, this one's mine." Zeb said getting on it, he turned it on and the doors to the garage opened. The speeder rose up and two wings came out on each side of it from underneath before Zeb took off across the water.

Looking defeated they found one that could hold the rest of them, a long banana yellow speeder with the top down, Hera got in first followed by everyone else "Where's Chopper?" she asked.

The droid zipped around the corner wearing a sunhat of his own, it gave a few beeps and honks before it hopped into the speeder pushing Ezra and Ahkilleon who were in the back into a tight fit "Chopper." Ezra groaned.

"Please- please let me drown him." Ahkilleon grumbled as they took off into the waters.

It was a scenic drive to say the least, the waters rushed underneath the speeder as it flew over them, the boys and even Sabine looked over the edge to see a type of dark blue topped dolphin jumping in and out of the water beside them. Airships flew overhead as ships came in and out of port, and they weren't the clunky haulers or freighters they were used to. No, they were extravagant yachts and pleasure ships of varying color and sleek designs, even the smaller vessels on the water were beautiful to look at, wooden boats with white sails raced along the water. Till they came to a large island with a big sign in front of it "Carrick Island, why does that name sound familiar?" Ahkilleon read.

"Probably because they own it." Sabine said coming out of the speeder, everyone followed.

"And you know how?" Ezra asked.

Sabine snickered along with Kanan and Hera, "We uh-may have robbed them once or twice."

"Three times actually." Sabine said, holding up the same number of fingers.

"And they won't just notice three of you here?" Ezra asked.

Sabine shook her head "I always scrambled the cameras, they never knew who it was." Sabine said confidently.

As they walked on the dock they saw that Carrick Island was just as grand as the rest of the place, it had shops for just about everything, food, clothes, tourist attractions, there was a large cantina in the middle of a square with snivvian, a mole like alien being, on the front that read 'Grphy's in holographic letters above it. The street was filled with people walking the streets dressed similarly to the rebels, all open clothing with swimsuits or floral shirts, all in all they blended in rather well. There were street performers on almost every corner, from musicians playing jubilant music to dancers and acrobats. There was a weequay walking on stilts dressed like tree trained birds flying around him and perching on his branches.

"This place is amazing." Ahkilleon said eyes like stars, "You can say that again, oh my gosh what is that smell." Ezra said sniffing the air while they passed by a food court. Their noses were met with a thousand spices and the sound of sizzling meat.

Hera reached into her dress pocket and produced a few small purses, "Senator Organa was also gracious enough to loan us some allowances." She said handing out the money to each of them "No buying anything too crazy and nothing that explodes, Sabine." She said side eyeing the blue and turquoise haired girl who just rolled her eyes. "And since Zeb decided to go without us, I'll hold onto his purse until he gets back."

"He did say he was heading to a Casino."

Elsewhere, Zeb had parked his bright red swoop bike outside a massive golden Casino with many towers and splendid designs of architecture that no one would see anywhere else. Above it's entrance read a sign in ancient Aubresh fuant holograms reading TETA'S He walked casually up the white marble steps and through the large doors he passed by slot machines and noticed the chip booth, heading over to it. It was a laser window with a droid behind it. Zeb exchanged some credits and then took his chips over to the nearest almost empty roulette table with only one person standing over it. He looked around for the right number and noticed a black 6 open and put a few of his chips on it. "New player black number six letter roll." The dealer, a droid built into the table said before it rolled on a different number 24.

Zeb sighed, and looked at the table, thinking for a moment he moved his other chips to a different number, a red 13 and the ball rolled around, another different number and his chips were gone.

Seeing his luck wasn't doing any good he tried another one but the result was the same, and he was out of money, reaching into his suit pockets he only found one measly credit, groaning "Well could always just go relax on at the beach." He said walking up to a single slot machine, he slipped his credit in and pulled the lever, the slots were a series of different characters spinning, 7's, the Credit symbol, a type of fruit he didn't know what it was, and of course Jackpot.

Zeb whimsically watched the slot wheels slow down to a Jackpot… Jackpot… Jackpot, the machine burst into a loud alarm and holographic images of credits sprang out while trumpets blew "I won… hehe I WON!" Zeb shouted as the slot machine started to pour out money and people noticed the big purple lasat in his blue suit scooping up the money.

Back in the market, Ezra, Sabine and Ahkilleon were browsing many stands and stalls, selling food and trinkets alike, Ezra spied a vendor selling a strange looking food "Hehe, what is that?" Ezra asked, pointing at it, the vendor had a machine on a white cart, with puffs of colorful cream painted on the side of it, "Ice cream, you've never had ice cream Ezra?" Sabine asked.

"Seriously?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Iced cream, what?" Ezra asked.

Ahkilleon shoved him "Come on, this is an emergency." Ahkilleon said walking into line, they waited till it was their turn. A droid wearing a white apron stained in pink, brown and yellow turned to them, the droid had four arms, two clamps on one pair and the other pair were scoops.

"Greetings younglings, how may I serve you, we have all 31 '000 flavors?" Ahkilleon reached into his allowance purse and pulled out some credits, "Three please, one chocolate and…" He looked over at the other two "Trippe flavored berries?" Sabine asked Ezra who blinked "Uh… vanilla I guess?" he droids chest opened and it's two clamp hands produced three waffle cones for their ice creams two light brown scoops, and one multicolored one for Sabine, strawberry red, blueberry, and a mixed pink the droid and Ahkilleon exchanged credits for the desert and they were off.

"So what do I do with this?" Ezra asked.

Ahkilleon snickered "Lick it." Ahkilleon said as he licked his ice cream.

Ezra saw Sabine do the same and them the second his tongue touched the vanilla, they saw Ezra's eyes grow bright like diamonds, inside his mind it was like he'd gone into hyperspace without a ship, that he had seen the very face of the force itself and fell it's cool angelic touch on his tongue, "Whoa…. This is the greatest thing in the Galaxy" Ezra gasped.

"Right." Ahkilleon said while Ezra dug into the Ice cream taking a full bite out of the scoop "Whoa bad idea-" "Ow what the-?"

Sabine laughed, "Brain freeze." She and Ahkilleon said at the same time, their humor was interrupted by the sounds of loud fireworks going off, drawn to the sound they and a large crowd had gathered around the open part in the square. A weequay man wearing a deep burgundy coat made of shinning sequins stitched in the fabric with a top hat stood in the center, he had long braids down his head and a white skull painted on his face.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, younglings, travelers from near and far, come see something you'll never forget, the most beautiful jewel in the Outer Rim, on her last day in Telerath." The ringmaster said as behind him a twi'lek man played the drums, and a total woman played a lute, behind them a three women stood, all three of them a different shade of pinkish red, their hair done up in ponytails or braids, dressed in long skirts with open navels and crop shirts with one wearing a sarong, another a veil holding a tambourine, the last a pair of maracas with a hood, the Weequay ringmaster continued "Prepare yourselves, for the enticing, the enchanting the extravagant acrobatic and gyrating talents of Jasmine!" The weequay flung down something and exploded into a bright cloud of scarlet smoke only for a scarlet red shroud to run out, adorned in jingling flecks of metal the shroud moved in a spiral before it opened up revealing a beautiful young girl. Her skin was red like a ruby with purple eyes that shined Amethyst gems. The other pink skinned woman not holding an instrument let out a loud whooping hollar before she began to sing in fast paced song, for the new girl to start dancing to. Her hair was a deep purple and she was dressed in a snug dancers leotard, a brickish red, it had no sleeves and only went down to her knees, on each ankle and wrist she bore clinging bands of gold and silver that had strands of cloth , around her waist a belt of the same material. Her purple hair was done up in top bun that flowed into another braid, two strands of braids running down her face as she twirled and spun in the crowd to the rhythms of the music from the twi'lek and the gotal,

"Did I say ice cream was the greatest thing in the galaxy?" Ezra asked the girl.

Sabine rolled her eyes just as the adults showed up, "What you all find?" Kanan asked behind them.

"Take a look." Sabine sighed.

Kanan, Ahsoka and Hera looked on to see the dancing girl Jasmine move to the music with grace and poise, she flung her arms over her head and crossed them, her body swayed left and right, while her feet taped barefoot on the stone street floor her anklets singing along with the music. Her arms moved up and down one and a time her eyes closed before she opened them just in time to make eye contact with Ezra.

She then did a backflip mid dance and two more before she came face to face with him and gave a wink before she twirled back around "Impressive." Ahsoka said seeing the girl move.

"Hmm I've never known a Zeltron to dance 'like that.'" Hera said.

"Be nice." Kanan said to her.

"What, Zeltron?" Ezra asked, confused , at what they were talking about.

Ahkilleon rolled his eyes now "Geez Lothrat, the girl, she's a Zeltron."

"Sure she's not an angel?" Ezra asked.

"Awe how sweet." Sabine teased him as she ruffled his dark blueish black hair.

People soon started to clap along with the music and the woman's singing, the two women behind her lent their voices to a chorus repeating a "lalalala." rapidly in time with the clapping, they started to go faster so did the clapping and Jasmine the Dancer sped up even more, she moved like the wind as she spun and flipped in place before she broke off into a spin on one foot, her twos keeping balance, till the music stopped and she froze like a statue. The crowd roared with applause and cheers, the girl's eyes were closed to it though as the Ringmaster came out holding his tophat, "Isn't she wonderful!" he said as he walked up to Jasmine and took her hand holding it up.

"Walking out that extended people started to drop credits into the hat, when it came Ezras turn he noticed Jasmine was looking at him and like a fool he dropped his whole purse of allowance in it "Hohoho, an admirer." The ringmaster said as he saw the purse.

The spectes all groaned seeing Ezra be so frivolous with the credits, "My dear Jasmine this young man is a true fan."

Ezra suddenly felt everyone looking at him all embarrassed, as Jasmine giggled walking over to him, she was as tall as Sabine, maybe taller with her hair up, leaning in "Thank you for your patronage." She said her accent was thick and exotic to Ezra's ears before she leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Which only excited the crowd even more Kanan even laughed, Ahsoka gave a smirk and Ahkilleon wrapped his arm around the boy's neck shaking him on how lucky he was. Sabine rolled her eyes even more, while Hera frowned at what was really going on. The Ringmaster walked around collecting the final bits of credits in his hat till he had to tuck it under his arm "Thank you, thank you one and all and to our glorious performers." He gestured back to the singers, and musicians who came up and took bows before the crowd began to disperse.

"Can't believe you gave away all of your money on some girl?" Sabine chastised arms folded. Ezra saw Jasmine give him one last wink and a smile before she and the carnies moved off to a small speeder cart.

Ezra felt his ice cream running down his hand. "Well… it was a good show."

Ahkilleon snickered, "Don't be rude." Ahsoka said, flicking him on the ear.

"Someone wants to tell me what's going on?" Ezra asked.

Kanan sighed "Go ahead." He said to Hera.

"She's a Zeltron, so were the other three, now I'm not saying all Zeltron are like this, believe me twi'lek dancers get enough of a bad rep but. Zeltrons they… they can produce pheromones that… will make people like them… a lot." Hera said as if she was explaining something very, very, veeeeeeery awkward to him.

Ezra went blank "So it… it was a trick?" Ezra asked, feeling even more embarrassed.

Kanan patted him on the shoulder "Not exactly, I knew a Zeltron in the Order, they can feel emotions better than most, I'm guessing that girl felt some very strong ones from you tiger." He said, giving the shoulder a playful squeeze.

"Oh brother." Ezra groaned before they all walked off.

Back in the Casino, Zeb was having an opposite time of Ezra where he was basking in the envy of almost half the Casino after he scored another round at the roulette table "Let it ride!" Zeb shouted as he toasted with a full entourage of people around him all as finally dressed as him. He'd exchanged his winnings for more chips and pushed them to 55 red, only for it to land on 55!

"YEEAAAH!" Zeb shouted, spilling his drink in celebration as he had tripled his winnings in another roll.

Suddenly there was a tap on his shoulder and a squat trandoshan with yellow scales and a monocle on his left eye wearing an orange suit was standing in front of Zeb, but he didn't notice it he was looking at the two towering security droids behind him. "Pardon me Mr….?" Zeb quickly thought up a fake name "Z- Spike." he blurted out unsure where the name came from.

"Mr. Spike, perhaps you would rather try your luck at the high rollers table?" The trandoshan asked.

Zeb looked at his winnings and smiled seeing more risk, more reward, he scooped up the massive pile of chips and giggled "Let me just exchange these chips and lead the way."

Later after Zeb had put the smaller chips into bigger ones he had a small case of them that was maybe worth more than a star destroyer under his arm, he followed the trandoshan and his droids into a private room, dimly lit, three people were sitting around a table. Aqualish woman wearing a silver dress and scarf smoking a two pronged pipe, holding it in her silk covered hands, beside her an Arkanian man, white haired like many of his people, ears pointed with clawed fingers shuffling a stack of chips, he wore a white tuxedo with a crimson lapel on his jacket, across from him sat a mysterious man wearing a long brown duster and a wide brimmed hat hiding his face "Lady, gentleman, a late addition, Mr. Spike." the trandoshan said as Zeb sat down between the aqualish woman and the mystery man.

"Finally, some new blood." The Aqualesh woman said as she held up gloved hand for an introduction.

Zeb decided to play along, leaned down and kissed her finger which had many rings on each digit "A pleasure."

"Welcome Mr. Spike, our original fourth, apparently made a bet he couldn't keep to our compatriot." The Arkanian gestured to the mystery man on Zebs' right.

Ze heard a chuckle under the hat, it was metallic, and then the man raised his head a Duros with blood red eyes, pale blue skin and cybernetic implants in his cheeks "He won't get far, sooner or later when Cade Bane comes looking for you, your luck runs out."

Meanwhile, after Ezra's embarassment with the Zeltron girl, they had made their way to one of the more populated beaches, "Time to hit the water?" Kanan asked.

"I thought you'd never ask." Hera said, some sweat running down the back of her neck.

"I'll get some towels." Kanan said walking over to a vending machine that you could buy them out of, "We'll find a spot." It wasn't long till Kanan had bought six towels, then returned to search for his crew he spotted Ahsoka's lekku jutting above the crowd. He made his way just in time to see Ezra and Ahkilleon drop their shirts and kick off their foot coverings to go running in their swim trunks into the water at top speed. Ezra did a cannonball while Ahkilleon front flipped into the water dousing them in the oceans cold spray.

Kanan chalked it up to the boys finally getting some time to cut loose before his attention moved to see Hera undo her sundress and let it fall to the sand revealing she was wearing a yellow string bikini with a matching swim cap on top of her lekku. Squeezing the towels Kanan caught a bit of blood running down his nose before he wiped it away before Hera could see how she'd broken his brain "Kanan?" She asked.

"T-towels, got em." Kanan said, dropping them off and turning away trying to stop his nosebleed.

"You okay?" Ahsoka had remove her robe her monokini showing off, her exposed arms and legs muscular and strong, adorned with togruta markings up her arms and legs, that made Kanan look over at Ahkilleon the first time seeing the boy shirtless without any bandages and he spotted a few specks of white markings on his shoulders, back and maybe more he couldn't see that would grow as the boy matured.

"Fine." Kanan replied as he set up the towels.

When he set up one Hera laid down on it, "Kanan can you rub some sunscreen on my back?" Hera asked. And with that, Kanan's Jedi discipline was broken "Right away." Kanan said, sliding in to assist.

Sabine let out a groan as she laid down on her towel to try and do some relaxing of her own. But she looked over at some other girls her own age, wearing bikinis or other types of swimsuits, squeezing her orange long sleeved shirt a bit tighter on her she pressed her legs to her chest "Everything okay?" Ahsoka asked, sitting down next to her.

"I feel…. Awkward without my armor." she confessed, Ahsoka saw her glancing over at a blonde haired girl with tan skin wearing a red two piece swimsuit. Turning her face back over to Sabine she saw Sabine cover up a scar on her knee.

Catching her Sabine confessed, "I've got… a lot of scars, not really the best thing to show off on a beach."

"Hmph-" Ahsoka covered her mouth holding in a chuckle, "What are you-" Ahsoka held up her forearm, revealing a long gash on her left forearm, "I got this when I was a padawan, my Master and I were breaking up a ring weapons smugglers, they had… pet gundarks." She said before she pointed to her right leg, there was an electrical burn scar that had faded. "A shock staff from a magna guard walked funny for a week." She said,

Sabine lifted up her long sleeve shirt on her back, a long blade scar "Sword practice with my brother." She said dropping it.

Sabine smiled and Ahsoka continued to show her the scars, then pushed her lekku back to a twisting line scar on her shoulder "Imperial spy got the drop on me with a broken bottle, I was so embarrassed." Ahsoka said.

Sabine pushed up her sash to reveal her thigh with a line of teeth "Imperial Academy, another cadet bit me." she said.

Ashoka chuckled and pushed over her monokini to reveal a crescent shaped scar, "Is that?" Sabine gasped, looking over at Ahkilleon then back to Ahsoka who knodded.

"You're a warrior Sabine, wear those battle flags with pride." Ahsoka said getting up.

Sabine blushed before she got up, and grabbed he him of her long sleeve shirt before she pulled it off over her head and dropped the sash revealing her one piece swimsuit with a gray patch stripe running up to the top with a zipper, the swimsuit had purple accents on the straps over her shoulders and headed to the water. Her frame was slender and even without the athletic armor. Ezra and Ahkileon were splashing and wrestling in the water when they saw Sabine jumping in between them "Cannonball!" she shouted, splashing in between them.

She surfaced just in time to stand right in front of them, she gave a weak smile "H-hi." she replied like this was the first time he'd seen Ahkilleon, the sun caught the water on her now glistening skin and wet hair, running down her back. Any moment that was to be was interrupted by Ezra plashing the two of them "Get him." Sabine snapped as they chased after Ezra.

Back on the beach, Kanan and Hera were lounging, Kanan stretched out a few joints popping as he stretched and groaned "Oooooh I could get used to this."

Hera turned over as she sunbathed, "Hmhmm, maybe later tonight we could go-" "ZZZZZZZZ." Kanan was already asleep and passed out like a dad who had finally gotten home after work. She then turned her attention to Chopper who had begun to dig in the sand. It was holding a bucket and shovel. "Chopper, where did you get that bucket and shovel?" Hera asked as she heard a child crying to its mother.

Back at the Casino, the High Rollers game was just beginning, and a dealer walked out. It was a droid with a red chassis made to look like a vest, the droid produced card after card for each of the players. "So Mr. Spike, what exactly do you do?" The Arkanian asked him.

Zeb had just put an order in for a drink when he replied "Oh a bit of this, a bit of that, you may say I'm in… acquisitions?" Zeb said, trying to sound smart.

The duros Bane chuckled "I work in a similar field." he said as he twiddled a chip between his fingers.

"Ah yes, Mr. Bane here is a genuine bounty hunter." The Aqualesh said beside him, Zeb felt the fur on the back of his neck stand up straighter.

Adjusting his glasses, Zeb cleared his throat "Find any…. Good ones lately?" Zeb asked him.

Bane kept his hat down, uninterested. "Meh, nothing like before the Empire when I was paid to hunt jedi."

"You hunted jedi, how fascinating." the Arkanian man said.

"They were tough, tough, the Jedi, but the Empire took care of'em." Bane sighed as he looked at his cards and made a bet, Zeb matched him and then the others did the same.

"What about you 'Spike', have you ever encountered a jedi?" Bane asked him.

Zeb pulled at his collar a bit, feeling warm "Can't say that I have." Zeb replied.

"Hmm, lucky you." Cad said as they kept playing cards.

Back at the beach, coming out of the water, Ahkilleon picked up one of the towels and started to dry off, he dropped it around his shoulders and kicked some sand out of his hair before he saw Sabine come out after him "They got beaches like this on Mandalore?" he asked her.

"They used to." Sabine said as she squeezed the water out of her hair with her towel.

He looked back at the others, Kanan was fast asleep, Sabine and Hera were chatting while they were laying in the sun. Chopper on the other hand had constructed a small city out of sand, it had large towers, a bustling infrastructure with the smaller buildings scattered around them, even a space port with a miniature Ghost on top of it. "Wow Chopper." Sabine said before the droid let out a screech and started to demolish the small city with a maniacal beeping like an evil laugh.

Ahkilleons eyes got wide at the sigh of such mayhem, he shook himself out of it "I don't know what I expected." he said, shaking sand out of his hair. He noticed Ezra still swimming in the water, Kanan sleeping and Hera's full focus on her mom as they conversed "Hey Sabine, you uh… want to go do something?"

"Sure, shouldn't we wait for Ezra?" She asked.

"I was thinking… just us?" he asked.

She turned to him, "Going to electrocute me again?" She asked.

He froze petrified.

"It's a joke…. Relax, what did you have in mind?" Sabine said, teasing him.

He shrugged "Just a walk?"

"A walk?" She asked.

"With you?" he asked her, she squeezed her towel and nodded, and then they started to walk down the beach, Sabine wrapped her towel around her waist and Ahkilleon left it on his shoulder. They walked the shoreline leaving their footprints in the sand and the waves splashed against their ankles as people around them played or lounged.

After a while Sabine spoke "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." He told her.

Sabine looked up over the islands of all the people without a care in the world, "Do you think the Militia is as bad as Hera and Kanan say?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" he inquired.

"Well, besides those mercs we met, I really don't know a lot about them. Hera thinks we can't trust them, and she's probably the best judge of character I've ever known. But at the same time they look like they have everything we've been trying to get, supplies, weapons, ships heck they even have Jedi?" Sabine asked him.

Ahkilleon looked at her curiously, "You've met them, talked to them, are we wrong for turning down an alliance?"

He scratched the back of his neck "I don't know, you saw that hologram on Rhen Var, those soldiers, the crusaders they made a last stand to save… me, but when we were on Caliban's ship none of them brought up I'm this… you know what."

"Yeah, that is weird, but they did help us get you out." She said,

"I guess… I guess we won't know unless we actually talked to them more, Hera, Kanan and my Mom kept us out of the room when they spoke, I really don't like being treated like a kid all the time." he grumbled.

Sabine held her hands up "I know it's so frustrating, we're part of the crew."

"More than that, could Phoenix Squadron even survive without us?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Hehe, I doubt it, Commander Sato is probably paniacing on when we'll get back to risk our necks again, not that I mind sticking it to the Empire." Sabine snickered while they passed a field of people flying kites near a boardwalk. "Hey look at that!" Sabine grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the boardwalk, he was so distracted by the fact they were holding hands he didn't notice she was bringing him up to a large game set up on the pier. It was a stand with blasters tied to chains. A few people were shooting lower powered lasers at moving targets that would ping as they were hit, prizes hung on the top of the shelves from small plastic toys to big stuffed creatures like Rancors, Nexu, Wampa's etc.

There was a sign that read 'These are real blasters, the power cells have been turned down lower so as to not harm, though any injuries received are not covered by Blas tech and any legal action against the company will be met with bounty hunters, who will find you.

"Come on, I've been dying to shoot something." Sabien said walking up to it, reaching for her purse "I forgot my money." She grumbled as the droid running the game came up.

It beeped out "No credits, no game."

"I got this." Ahkilleon said.

He held his hand up and waved it "No credits, free game." he said.

The droid's eyes went on and off "No credits…zzt free game." the droid said before it handed him a toy blaster, he gave it to her and she smiled.

"You get bonus points for that Princess."

"Sure thing rainbow." He said before she went to work, the game started and Sabine did what Mandolorains do best, shooting not a single target was spared and a melody of chiming targets echoed around the boardwalk enough to draw a view till Sabine's blaster was smoking.

She held it up and blew it off "Oh stars that feels better."

"We have a winner, here you go miss." The droid reached up to the top shelf and pulled off the stuffed rancor and handed it to her; she in turn handed it to Ahkilleon who took it graciously with a smug smile.

She cocked her head "What?"

"Nothing, just looking at you." he replied, she brushed back some of her still damp hair and looked away bashfully.

Before he could ask her what was wrong they heard a blood curdling scream back from the beach, the two of them ran back to the peer edge to see rising out of the water with a dozen slimy suction cupped tentacles was some sort of sea monster rising from the depths. It already had someone in its tentacles swinging them back and forth wildly, "Is that…?" Ahkilleon started to ask.

"EZRA!" Hera shouted as Ezra was wrapped up in the creature's tentacles being swung around like a rag doll while he tried to pull free.

Kanan snapped up and let out a groan "I closed my eyes for five minutes and he woke up a giant squid." Kanan groaned.

"Kanan!" Hera said as she got up, Ahsoak was on her feet looking for anything they could use.

"All I'm saying is he's a magnet for trouble." Kanan said back while Ezra swung back left and right while they ran to the water's edge "What did you do?"

Ezra came around "All I did-" He went left then came back "Was trying to say-" then back and forth "Hello!"

Slapping his forehead Hera shouted up "Not every animal wants to be your friend Ezra, most want to just EAT YOU!" Ahsoka ran past them with a parasail; she'd snapped the cover off it and held it like a pear launching it right at the beast but its massive tentacle arm swatted it away.

"How are we going to get him out of this, we don't have our weapons, I'm strong in the force but I'm not that strong." Ahkilleon said before Sabine ran back over to the target game. She grabbed the blasters and started to tear them off the mounts.

The droid who ran the stall rushed over to her "That is destruction of corporate prop-" Sabine opened up one of the blasters and raised the power scale to shoot it.

Sighing "Oh that's therapeutic." she said as Ahkilleon came over, she tossed him the blaster "You know, if it was anyone else, the fact you enjoy shooting things would cause me to worry?"

"And you don't because…?" She asked, smiling knowing what he was about to say as he primed the blaster "You're a Mandolorian."

She handed him the rest of the blasters as she took two and twirled the two like they were her twin carbine pistols "Damn right I am." They dashed back over into the sand as everyone else was fleeing for their lives, except for the rest of the crew who were trying to get Ezra out of the grip of the massive tentacle monster that Kanan and Ahsoka were dodging them with their Jedi training.

Hera on the other hand was trying to find something to use as a weapon "No weapons my green ass-" "Try this on for size." Ahkilleon tossed her the blaster and Kanan and Ahsoka noticed them.

"Catch." Ahkilleon tossed them the pistols.

"Aim for the eyes." Kanan shouted as the giant squid swung its massive tentacles at them, before they could even get a shot they were snatched by the tentacles and lifted up, they shot at the creatures arms and legs but it only made the monster madder.

Back on the beach hiding behind a turned over surfshack, Hera and Sabine were trying to think of a plan, "So we've got no jedi, no ship, and toy blasters…." Sabine said.

Hera sighed "Dammit I just wanted us all to enjoy one day without any life threatening situations. Was that too much to ask?" Hera said.

"Maybe we're just lucky." Sabine said before she jumped over and lined up a shot, she saw the suids giant black and yellow eyes, just like the target on the pier before she squeezed the trigger and sent two blaster bolts right into it, the eyeball exploded into goo before it's tentacles uncoiled and it let out a ferocious shriek. Dropping all their force wielders into the water the squid dove back into the ocean tentacles between its legs.

Limping out of the water, all of them covered in suction cup marks, Ahkilleon fell out on the sand next to Ezra who was sitting down "That was…. Unexpected…"

"You know part of me wants to turn this into a teaching moment but… oh forget it." Kanan sighed sitting down next to them.

Ahsoka snickered before she started to laugh "Mom, you okay?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Oh, I'm fine… just… thought of something funny, come one we better get out of here before the local authorities arrive and start asking too many questions." she said, seeing a few red and blue colored airships heading their way, she flung the toy blaster into the water and everyone did the same before they picked up their stuff to run.

Back at the Casino, Zeb was having a different type of danger, the steaks kept rising and rising on the poker game, till the Arkanian sighed "I'm out friends." He said, folding his cards out in his hand.

"As am I." the Aqualesh said before she did the same and stood up, "Guess it's just you and me furball." Cad said as he sipped a drink under his hat, Zeb had ordered a martini and sipped his nervously.

Bane raised the next stake and Zeb did the same not to look suspicious, they checked their cards and then Bane stood up "Let's make this interesting, all in." Bane's eyes saw Zeb out of the corner of them and he stopped "Wait a second… Don't I know you from somewhere?"

"Uh no?" Zeb said quietly as Bane wobbled over to him.

Bane blinked a few times, "Though Lasat didn't have two heads?" Bane asked.

"What?" Zeb asked.

Cad reached for something and Zeb feared he was about to meet the end of a blaster before Cad fell over face down and passed out. Zeb was speechless and the droid dealer sighed "Oh my, not again."

"Again?" Zeb asked.

"Yes, Mr. Bane is a regular at our establishment, unfortunately he does overdo it with the Rodian Whiskey." the droid said as two droids came in to pick him up, Bane mumbling to himself "Kenobi…. Skywalker… I miss you guys…."

Zeb sighed out in relief, "Looks like tonight is my lucky night, all in." Zeb said before he pushed his chips in feeling lucky, the dealer flipped the cards "Royal Flush, the house winds." Zeb watched the droid take all of his credits and slammed his head on the table "Karabast…."

THE ORGANA VILLA

Zeb pulled the red speeder back into the villa boathouse and moped his way into the house, "Hey Zebs back." Ezra called out, Zeb looked over to see the rebels in the living room, the windows open, all of them relaxing by a fire pit that had risen from the floor. Ezra and Ahkilleon were playing a game of holochess while Sabine had taken down the painting of the Organas and was doing a new mural of the giant squid monster that had attacked them. Hera was sitting next to Kanan who had passed out.

"What do I miss?" Zeb grumbled.

Ezra shrugged "Oh nothing."

"Ezra almost got eaten by a giant squid monster." Sabine said.

Zeb grunted back at them as if nothing had changed, "Yeah well I think I'll turn in early."

"Hold on, you don't want to miss this." Ahsoka said wearing her linen robe again, she stood next to the balcony door and gestured for them to follow her outside. Everyone did so and they were looking across the black ocean, the horizon showing the different islands on the horizon.

Ezra looked around "Miss what?"

"Just wait." Ahsoka said when she spotted a single ship flying across the sky, it dropped something then

KA-BOOM

The entire sky lit up in a grand fireworks display of radiant blue and orange, they could see ships dropping off more fireworks that blew up in great balls of flaming smoke, the fireworks became more intricate and more complex at first a simple wave of explosions to get everyone's attention. Then they turned into swirling sirens that went in every direction, now they became shapes. There were great birds flying around the sky made of pure fire. Another formed the shapes of symbols of palm trees, surfers, even a squid which made Ezra wince. The show went on and on, lighting up the night sky.

"Is it like this every night?" Ezra asked.

"Yep, I came here when I was younger with Ahkilleons father, you will never forget your first Telegraph fireworks show." she said seeing Ahkilleons face light up with the fireworks smiling ear to ear.

Behind them Hera leaned her head on Kanan's shoulder and squeezed his hand, Zeb forgot about the lost fortune, Ezra couldn't even remember the giant squid, but the bright red and pinks made him think of the girl Jasmine. Sabine looked over at Ahkilleon and tucked her lip in seeing something more important than a prized stuffed rancor. Chopper on the other hand saw the explosions of fire and computed how he could better use that to terrify the galaxy, but all and all the rebels were simply enjoying the end of a great vacation.